Coin-operated picture-exhibitor



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. P. GOODRIDGE".

COIN OPERATED PIGTURE EXHIBITOR.

Patented July 1, 1890.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. I. GOODRIDGE. COIN OPERATED PICTURE EXHIBITOR.

No. 431,049. Patented Jul 1, 1890.

Wdwaooea (No Model.) Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. F. GOODRIDGE.

00m OPERATED PICTURE EXHIBITOR. Patented July 1, 1890.

v2 l/qhtmaowa p gum Wm @w gm UNITED V STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. GOODRIDGEIOF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COIN-OPERATED PICTURE-EXHIBITOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,049, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed July 16, 1889. Serial No.'317,666. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. Goonmnen, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-Exhibitors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming apart of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain improvements in picture-exhibitors, particularly of that class in which a coin of predetermined value has to be deposited to bring the picture into view or to enable the same to be brought into view by the observer or otherwise.

The object of the invention is to produce an exhibitor practical and simple in design, of small compass, and which will, if desired, exhibit a series of pictures upon depositing a single coin of proper value, and will at the same time indicate to the observer What the picture or other object being exhibited is without requiring him to remove his gaze from the same.

To these ends the invention consists, primarily, in combining a phonograph with the exhibitor so controlled as to repeat proper words or sentences during the exhibiting of any particular picture or series of pictures.

The invention consists, secondly, in an exhibitor in which the exhibit-carrier or picture-wheel is operated entirely independent of the coin-operated lever, the latter being for the purpose of preventing the observer from throwing the exhibit-carrier into operative connection with its driving mechanism.

The invention consists, finally, in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my exhibitor with the side casing and frame removed and with some of the parts shown in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the top of the casing removed and parts broken away to show the underlying mechanism. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coin-operated lever, pawl, and ratchetsegment. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of the preferred form of exhibit-carrier 0r picture-wheel. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the same, showing the manner of arranging the pivoted holders for the exhibits. Fig.6 illustrates the coin-chute and the manner of discharging coins of small size without operating the coin-lever. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views of another form of coin-operated mechanism for setting the carrier in operative position.

Similar letters and numerals of reference in the several figures indicate same parts.

In the wall of the casing A, and for the sake of convenience near the top of the same, is arranged a sightopening B, preferably provided with a lens, and within the casing, and arranged to bring the objects into position 'to be viewed through the opening or lens, is the exhibit-carrier, consisting, as shown in the drawings, of arms or wings 0, having pictures or other objects thereon and pivotally mounted on suitable hubs or disks D in a manner to be presently described, forming a wheel adapted to be rotated to bring the objects successively before the opening. The hubs or disks D are rigidly mounted on the shaft d, and a large gearwheel D is also rigidly mounted thereon, said gear meshing with a train of gearing composed of wheels D D the latter meshing with a worm-shaft D having a fan or butterfly D thereon, whereby the speed of rotation of the exhibit-carrier is regulated, as will be readily understood.

In order to give the exhibit-carrier the necessary forward impetus, a weight E is preferably employed, mounted on an arm E, journaled loosely on the shaft d, and provided with a pawl e, adapted to engage a ratchetwheel E mounted rigidly on the said shaft or connected to the exhibit-carrier. Thus as the weight descends the pawl will engage one of the ratchet-teeth and rotate the carrier the desired distance and at the desired speed, the backward rotation being prevented by any of the ordinary and well-known mechanisms for this purpose. With this construction it is preferable to rotate the carrier far enough at each operation to exhibit a series of pietures-say one-fifth of the whole number on the carrier. Thus it will be seen that it is necessary to employ five ratchet-teeth on the wheel E. It is obvious, however, that the number of teeth may be varied, and that,if desired, but a single picture may be exhibited at one operation.

The mechanism thus far described could be made use of as an exhibitor withoutother mechanism, as will be readily understood; but in order that the object being exhibited may be understood by the observer without the necessity of removing his gaze from the same, as would be necessary were the description printed or written on the margin of the exhibit or displayed simultaneously therewith, and also to produce an exceedingly pleasing and novel effect calculated to excite the interest and curiosity of the publie, I provide a phonograph F, the motions of which are timed and controlled by the driving mechanism for the carrier, so as to repeat the proper descriptive matter for each particular exhibit. This result is accomplished in the preferred construction by driving the phonograph directly from the gear D through the medium of idler-gears ff, the number of teeth on which may be regulated to cause the proper revolution or revolutions of the phonograph.

In the construction shown the phonograph is in motion only during one-half of the exhibit, the teeth on one side of the gear f being removed to permit it to remain at rest during the remainder of the exhibition.

Any of the well-known mechanisms may be employed to move the diaphragm laterally, and as such mechanism forms no part of my present invention it is not herein shown and v described. Preferably below the weight and the pulley elevated. A cord N, connected to mechanisms just described is arranged the coin-controlled mechanism, which, when released by the entrance of a coin, enables the operator to throw the exhibit-carrier into operative position by raising the weight E, which mechanism may be as follows: A cross-shaft H, Fig. 1, is mounted in the casing and carries a segment of a wheel I, having a groove in its periphery, for a purpose to be presently explained, and a toothed sector K, both rigidly connected to the shaft, which latter is rotated or reciprocated by means of a handle L, which may project through the front of the casing, but is preferably located on the end of the shaft outside the casing, with a guard Zfor limiting the motion of the same. A pulley M, mounted on an arm or lever M, pivoted on the piece M is provided in the same vertical plane and at substantially the same level as the segment I, the rear end of the lever M being extended and adapted to engage a stop an to limit its vertical movement and to be engaged by a pin or projection on on the segment 1, whereby it is depressed and the segment at 1, passes around the pulleyM and over a pulley M in the top of the casing and is connected to the weight E.

Thus when the handle is depressed it will be seen that the segment I is raised, and, through the medium of the cord N, the weight is also raised until the pawl engages one of the ratchetteet-h 011 Wheel D, at which moment the projection m, coming in contact with the end of lever M, elevates the pulley M and loosens the cord, permitting the exhibitor to move downward immediately whether the handle is released or not. Pivoted above the toothed sector K and engaging the teeth thereof is a double-acting pawl P, adapted to prevent a reverse movement of the sector until it has made a complete and full movement in either direction and to prevent the upward movement of the sector'until the pawl is reversed, which reversal is accomplished by means of the coin-operated level Q, bivoted at q, and provided with a projection Q, which, when the lever is depressed by a coin, engages the cam-surface r on the double acting pawl, throws the lower arm 19 out of engagement with the sector K and the upper arm 19' into gear, permitting the sector to be raised. The pawl is thrown in the other direction by coming in contact with the projection K on the lower end of they sector, permitting the latter to descend by gravity, thus bringing the parts into position for another operation.

The pawl P, it will be noted, is top-heavy, and its center of gravity may be changed from one side to the other of its fulcrum. Thus the projection Q moves it in one direction and the projection K in the opposite direction The projection K is simply an extension at the lower edge of the sector, which, as the sector moves up, engages the downwardly-extending arm of the pawl and moves it inward.

While the above mechanism will be found efficient, I prefer to employ a more simple arrangement, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, in which E represents the weight, in this i11- tance made in the form of a segment having gear-teeth l on the edge. The segment is elevated by means of the small gear-wheel 2, having the teeth removed from a small part of its circumference, which cut-away portion normally stands next to the segment. The teeth on the wheel 2 and segment 1 are so regulated as that a single revolution of the wheel raises the segment to its full height and brings the blank portion again next to the segment, permitting it to descend, as in the mechanism before described, and in order to impart motion to the gear-wheel and to control the same by means of a coin-operated lever it is mounted rigidly on a shaft 3, extending outside the case, and having a handle 4 thereon for rotating it, a pawl-andratchet device 5 6 being employed to prevent the rotation in but one direction, and the movement in this direction is controlled by the stop 7 on the wheel, adapted to engage the end of the arm 8 on the coin-lever Q when said lever is in normal position. When the lever is depressed by the weight of a coin, the arm 8 is moved out of the path of the stop 7, permitting the wheel to be rotated; but, as

there would be onlya momentary depression of the lever if of ordinary construction, I provide means for retaining the coin in the receptacle until the wheel is rotated, as follows: A stop 9 is located below the lever in position to arrest its movement at a point where the coins would be discharged, and a spring 10, of sufiicient strength to support the normal weight of the coin and lever, is placed on the lever in position to engage the stop and prevent the weight of the coin alone from depressing the lever to a point where the coin would be discharged, but at the same time permitting it to move far enough to release the stop 7. At a point in line with the circle described by the stop 7 and beyond the arm 8 the lever is provided with a projection or cam-surface 12.v Thus when the wheel is rotated the stop strikes the projection, depresses the lever against the tension of the spring, and discharges the coin. It will be observed that with this arrangement, as the gear-wheel cannotrotate backward, the weight cannot be held while it is descending, but moves the full length of its stroke, revolving the carrier one-fifth of a complete turn.

lhe coin-operated lever is preferably pro vided at one end with the coin-receptacle Q and at the opposite end beyond the pivot with.

an adjustable counter-weight S, adapted to be adjusted to properly balance the lever for coins of different weight or to compensate for wear of the coin-receptacle.

T indicates the coin-chute with the opening preferably at the front of the casing, the chute itself being of the greatest width vertically, so that the coin passes in on its edge and slightly inclined back to a point over the coin-receptacle, where it descends abruptly, so as to deposit the coin squarely in the receptacle. Besides being inclined backward the chute is slightly tilted to one side, as shown inFig. 6,and an opening is formed in the lower side of a width almost but not quite equaling the height of the chute, leaving narrow retaining portions at top and bottom, which will serve to retain a coin of proper size within the chute, but which will permit smaller coin to fall through, as will be readily understood by referring to the drawings.

In many instances it is found desirable that a tally be kept of the number of coins passed into the apparatus or which operate the same, in order to prevent fraud on thepart of the attendants or collectors, and for this purpose I preferably (see Fig. 1) locate immediately below the coin-lever a chute W, into which the coin passes from the lever, and in said chute is arranged a lever W, adapted to be depressed by the coin, thereby operating a counter of ordinary construction, such as seen at W for instance. \Vhen this counter is employed, the coin-receptacle V may be made removable, if desired, as there can be no cheating by the collector,who simply puts an empty box in place and carries the full one back with him.

Referring particularly now to Figs. 1, 4, and 5, wherein are illustrated the preferred form of exhibit-carrier, it will be seen that the hubdisks D are mounted on a sleeve D, which is connected to the shaft by a pin D" or otherwise, so as to be readily removed for the insertion of a new wheel with a different set of pictures thereon. The wings on which the pictures are directly mounted are pivotally connected to the disks by means of inwardlyprojecting arms, those 011 one wing being located on the outside of the disk, as at c c, and those on the next wing on the inside, as at c c, and so on alternately through out the whole circumference. This arrangement enables many more wings to be placed within a given circumference and still permit of the necessary separation to enable the pictures or other objects to be renewed, as will be readily understood. Above the carriers is a stop or projection T adapted to engage each wing in succession and hold the same in a substantially vertical position until the rotation carries the wing below the same, where the wing swings out and down below the sight-opening, exposing the next exhibit to view. As before remarked, the exhibits are preferably divided into series, five series beingshown in the Wheel illustrated, and in order to prevent the constant exposure of a picture when the apparatus is not in operation each series begins with a blank wing, (shown by the black lines in Fig. 4,) and, if desired, such wings may constitute programmes and expose to view the names and other descriptive matter of the exhibits to be next exposed.

From the foregoing description the operation of the apparatus will be apparent and need not be particularly described further than to say that the would-be observer has simply to deposit the proper coin in the chute and at the same time move the handle, thus elevating the weight and starting the carrier, which revolves very slowly permitting each picture or other exhibit of the series to be studied. At the same time the phonographdescribes the same audibly.

It is obvious that the mechanical equivalents of the parts may be employed (a spring for the Weight) and that other minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The combination, with an exhibiting apparatus and a phonograph, of a mechanism for exposing the object to view and simultaneously actuating the phonograph, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an exhibiting apparatus and a phonograph, of a coin-released mechanism for permitting the exposure of the object to view and simultaneously actuating the phonograph, whereby upon the insertion of a coin of predetermined value the object may be exposed to view and described audibly, substantially as described.

scribed.

5. In an exhibitor, the combination, with an object-carrier and driving mechanism connected thereto by a pawl and ratchet for moving it in one direction, of a coin-releasable mechanism for permitting the return of said driving mechanism to first position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a picture-exhibitor, the'combination, with a movable picture-holder, of amotor for driving it, a winding mechanism for said motor, a detent for the winding mechanism,j a chute for admitting a coin, and a movable; part standing normally in the path of entrance of the coin to be displaced thereby and con-j nected to the detent, so that upon being thus; displaced it releases the winding mechanism; and permits the motor to be wound, substantially as described.

7. In a picture-exhibitor, the combinatiomi with a movable picture-holder, of a motor for: driving it, a winding mechanism for said.

motor, a detent tor the winding mechanism,

a chute for admitting a coin, a movable part standing normally in the path of entrance of' the coin to be displaced thereby and connected to the detent, so that upon being thus displaced it releases the winding mechanism, and permits the motor to start, and a pin carried by some part movable with the winding mechanism and adapted in its movement to encounter said coin-displaced part and; restore it to normal position, substantially asdescribed.

8. In an exhibitor, the combination, with: an object-carrier and the weight having the; pawl engaging the ratchet on the carrier for moving the carrier in one direction, of the coin-released mechanism adapted to permit the weight to be returned to first position,

substantially as described.

9. In an exhibitor, the combination, with the object-carrier and the Weighted gear-segment connected thereto by the pawl and, ratchet for moving it in one direction, of the handle and the gear connected thereto for returning said weighted segment to first po-: sition, substantially as described.

10. In an exhibitor, the combination, with the object-carrier and the weighted gear-segment connected thereto by the pawl and ratchet for moving it in one direction, of the gear-wheel gearing with the weighted segment for returning said segment to first-position and the coin-lever and stop for arresting the rotation of the gear, substantially as described.

11. In an exhibitor, the combination, with.

the object-carrier and'the'weight'ed gear-segment connect-ed thereto by the pawl and ratchet for moving it in one direction, of the gear-wheel gearing with the weighted segment for returning said segment to first position, said gear-wheel having the teeth removed from a portion of its circumference to permit of the independent movement of the gear-segment, substantially as described.

12. In an exhibitor, the combination, with the object-carrier and the weighted gear-segment connected thereto by the pawl and ratchet for moving it in one direction, of the gear-wheel gearing with said weighted segment for returning said segment to first position, having the teeth removed from a portion of its circumference to permit of the independent movement of the gear-segment, the movable arm for arresting the forward rotation of the gear-wheeLwith the blank space next the segment, and the pawl and ratchet for preventing the backward rotation of said wheel, substantially as described.

13. In an exhibitor, the combination, with the obj ect-carrier and the weighted gear-segment connected thereto by the pawl and ratchet for moving it in one direction, of the gear-wheel gearing withsaid weighted segment for returning said segment to first position,having the teeth removed from a portion of its circumference to permit of the independent movement of the-gear-segment, the stop on said gear-wheel, and the coin-operated lever having the arm thereon engaging said stop to arrest the movement of the wheel, with the blank space next the segment, substantially as described.

14:. In a coin-released device, the combination, with a wheel in gear with the operating mechanism, said gear having a stop thereon,

of a lever having anarm adapted to be engaged by said stop for arresting the movement of the wheel, and adapted to be operated by the weight of a coin to release the stop, a spring for arresting the movement of the lever when so moved, and a projection on the lever adapted to be engaged by the stop to depress the lever against the tension of the said spring to discharge the coin, substantially as described.

15. In a picture-exhibitor, the combination, with the picture-wheel, the gear-segment c011- nected thereto, and the gear-wheel gearing with said segment and having the stop thereon, and the ratchet to prevent the backward rotation of said gear-Wheel, of the coin-lever having the spring thereon for arresting its downward movement to retain the coin, the arm on the lever engaging the stop to arrest the movement of the gear-wheel, and the projection on the lever with which said stop engages to depress the lever against the tension of the spring to discharge the coin, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with the picture-wheel provided with disks, of the wings pivotally connected to said disks, with the bearings for adjacent Wings on opposite sides of the disks, with an operatingshaft, of the removable pic- 20 substantially as described. tare-Wheel having the tubular center fitting 17. Thecolnbination,with the picture-Wheel said shaft, with the end disks provided with provided with disks, of the wings having the the pivoted Wings having the pictures there- 5 inwardly-extending arms pivotally connected on, substantially as described.

to the disks on opposite sides, with the bear- JAMES F. GOODRIDGE. 1n gs of alternate wings 011 opposite sides, sub- WVitnesses: stantially as described. WILLIAM H. H. TUTTLE,

18. In apicture-exhibitor,thecombination, CHAS. GEO. WVINTER. 

